“Georgia horse racing advocates think they're finally betting on a winner” plus 1 more |
| Georgia horse racing advocates think they're finally betting on a winner Posted: 06 Mar 2011 09:07 PM PST ATLANTA - The unanimous vote in a House committee last week on a constitutional amendment to expand legalized gambling in Georgia is giving a second wind to horse-racing buffs who have waited 20 years. The measure still needs to win two-thirds of the vote in the full House and Senate as well as approval by voters in next year's general election. Then local voters in the county where any track would be built also must give their approval. Arguments about financing, tax rates and where the state's share of the money would go will inevitably happen before the starter's bell signals the first race. Those first, 3-year-old thoroughbreds haven't been born yet, according to optimistic projections that the inaugural races could be held in the fall of 2015. As far away as the finish line is, supporters are pleased because they've never gotten out of the starting gate before. Twenty years ago, some of the same supporters were equally enthusiastic about their odds. Zell Miller had gotten elected in 1990 on a platform of legalizing gambling as a way to fund education, a promise that wound up only permitting a state-run lottery. "I think we had incredible momentum going 20 years ago," said Carl Bouckaert, a carpet magnate from Dalton. He was part of a group that took legislators to an out-of-state track, showed them the possibilities for jobs at the track and in rural support industry, and then watched the dream be negotiated away in the smoke-filled rooms of the Capitol. Hal Barry, president of the Atlanta Steeplechase, wasn't part of that effort at the time, but has been warned about it. "Some of the older gentlemen who were involved with the effort 20 years ago, when even I told them we were really going to try to kick this off again, they kind of laughed," said Barry, a developer based in Moreland. "They said after being shot down so hard before, they're a lot of people saying 'you'll never get it done.'" Barry is assembling property to build a 1,500-stall stable and track as part of a retail-office-entertainment complex near Atlanta's Hartsfield Jackson International Airport. He broke into a grin and applause when the House Regulated Industries Committee passed the constitutional amendment. Similar legislation has been introduced yearly by various lawmakers, only to die quietly in a committee. Still, committee member Rep. Alan Powell, R-Hartwell, warned that more convincing will be needed to get the votes of two-thirds of the legislators and win over the public. That will take a grassroots campaign stressing the 10,000 jobs that supporters estimate will result in urban and rural areas and the benefits to education from the betting. "I've been disappointed that we haven't seen more interest or activity in the community," he said. "I've been very critical as far as some of our premier, agriculture-based organizations in the state." They may step forward now that the first jump has been cleared and a full House vote is next around the turn. The opponents to gambling and animal-rights groups likely will mobilize for a sprint to midnight on March 16 when the internal legislative deadline comes for bills to survive. Bouckaert feels energized. "No question in my mind that when this thing gets a little traction, you will see people coming out of the woodwork everywhere because the whole state of Georgia benefits," he said. "Georgia is, outside of Atlanta, a rural state." walter.jones@morris.com, (404) 589-8424 This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
| Horse Racing On Tap Again for Fair Posted: 27 Feb 2011 06:03 AM PST A fabric banner depicting a racehorse and rider is seen pinned to the side of the racehorse stables at the Flathead County Fairgrounds in Kalispell. - File photo by Lido Vizzutti/Flathead Beacon Local horse racing organizers recently met with the Flathead County Commission to discuss this year's schedule and gauge county support for the races, laying initial groundwork for better cooperation during the fair. Janis Schoepf and Debbie Cunnington, who are largely responsible for horse racing's return to the Northwest Montana Fair after a five-year hiatus, told the commission that they wanted to ensure a better working relationship with the county. That doesn't necessarily mean they want money from the county, Schoepf said, but they would like to work out issues such as machinery use so things can run more smoothly. For example, Schoepf told the commissioners that the horse race organizers were not allowed to use the county's water truck to spray the track, despite it being used later for the rodeo. But money will play a big part in this year's races. The organizers said the impetus behind last year's races was largely about proving they could successfully bring horse racing back. "We will only move forward if we're confident the money will be covered," Schoepf said in an interview after the meeting. Schoepf told the commission that she is still $3,000 in debt after shouldering a majority of the costs for the races last year. Since the races were organized so late in the season, Schoepf said they missed the deadline to apply to the state for financial help. That's different this year. State Board of Horse Racing Vice Chairman Mike Tatsey told the commission that the board could only put a little money into the races last year, but this year the board could put, at minimum, a day's worth of purses, maybe more. The state also pays for jockey insurance, he said. Schoepf also said that the race dates for events in Missoula and Great Falls are still in question, and Kalispell might be able to benefit financially if those races don't come through. And while she did not ask the county to sponsor the races, Schoepf said the horse races did benefit the fair's pocketbook. "I think it's totally known the fair benefitted greatly from horse racing last year and reaped the benefits," she said. According to a letter sent to the commission from State Board of Horse Racing Secretary Ryan Sherman, last year's races were one of the state's major success stories. "In two days of racing, over $103,000 was wagered on the 16 races offered," Sherman wrote. "That was an average handle o f $51,500, one of the best averages for racing in Northwest Montana for many years." The Kalispell and Missoula races helped drive up horse racing revenues in the state, Sherman wrote. Total revenues hit 1,435,000 in 2010, an increase of $421,000 over 2009, he added. Sherman advocated county support for the races, highlighting the achievements from Schoepf, Cunnington and the local Turf Club. "We do understand that counties can't justify financially supporting a whole race meet as it once did, but we would certainly ask that you consider the dedication that your local Turf Club has to provide a successful event to the NWMF," Sherman wrote. Tatsey also lauded the race organizers' efforts, saying that the state board will support racing events in the western part of Montana. "We want to put as much as we can into horse racing here because it's valuable to this part of the state," he said. The commissioners expressed general support for horse racing at the fair, but each member said the decision-making power lay largely with the county's Fair Board. Commissioner Jim Dupont said there was a lot going on during last year's fair since the Fair Board and manager position were in flux. Commissioner Dale Lauman said he was confident the Turf Club could hash out its differences with the fair through discussions. "I think your group and the Fair Board and (Fair Manager Mark Campbell) need to sit down and work together," Lauman said. "I think you can work out a real good working relationship," he added.  This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
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